Author Silas House blogs about writing, the writing life, books, movies, nature, religion, politics, and other things that generally concern conscious people. House is the author of the bestselling books CLAY'S QUILT, A PARCHMENT OF LEAVES, THE COAL TATTOO, SOMETHING'S RISING, ELI THE GOOD, and SAME SUN HERE. You can learn more about House and his writing at www.silashouse.weebly.com

Friday, December 6, 2013

Favorite Albums of 2013

It’s always a daunting task to pull together a list of my
favorite albums of the year, but each year I try to do it.With that said, I will probably leave
off something I love.And there
will most likely be glaring omissions that I “should” have on here, but don’t
for whatever reason.This list is
not necessarily a “best of” so much as it is a gathering of the albums I
listened to the most this year, perhaps because they are the best albums of the
year or maybe just because they struck my mood the best. At any rate, I think they are all high
quality records that everyone should check out.I’m listening them here in reverse alphabetical order,
simply because it’s too hard for me to rank them. I hope you will list your favorites in the comments below.

Holly Williams-The Highway.Yes, she’s Hank Williams’ granddaughter.And her daddy is Bocephus.But that doesn’t matter because this is
definitely one of the best written albums of the year, and Williams has the
vocal chops to pull it off beautifully.Each song is like a short story and taken together this is a well-produced
collection perfect for long road trips.

Vampire Weekend-Modern Vampires of the City.You may scoff and think they are a band
only fit for hordes of screaming teenagers.You’d be wrong.The lead singer and songwriter of this band, Ezra Koenig, is somewhat of
a musical genius and has crafted a true album full of brilliant hooks and
profound lyrics cushioned by songs that get your feet tapping.Definitely amongst my most-listened to
records.

Kasey Musgraves-Same Trailer, Different Park. I can’t remember the last time I’ve
enjoyed a mainstream country album so much.Each song is a songwriting gem and the production is great,
too.Musgraves manages to reveal
the true, complex heart of rural life in songs that call small towns out on
their hypocrisy, challenge religious status quos, defy stereotypes, and manage
to have fun all at the same time.“Merry Go Round” is one of the best country songs in decades.

Scott Miller-Big Big World.Full disclosure here:Miller is a friend of mine and over the years we’ve done some work
together.But this is still one of
his all-time best albums.It
sometimes rocks and often it smooths its way into your heart.The songs like “How Am I Ever Gonna Be
Me”, “Freight Train Heart/Stone Wall Love” and “Goin’ Home” are complex,
emotional, and intelligent.This
album is definitely the most underrated of the year due to the fact that Miller
doesn’t just not play the industry game, he outright defies it (check the name
of his independent record label, F.A.Y., an anagram for a phrase he’s saying to
the industry...I’ll let you figure it out on your own).

Lorde-Pure Heroine.She’s a teenager.She’s
brilliant.My favorite pop record
of the year, and despite the widespread open-armed acceptance of this album into
the pop mainstream there is still something defiant, independent, and fierce
about it.A debut album that has
managed to not be dirtied by the corporate forces behind it.Lorde calls out hypocritical artists
like Jay-Z and Beyonce (come on, now, how’s a rapper gonna be a real rapper
when he’s embedded in the corporate world so firmly and hangs out with the
president?How’s Beyonce gonna
encourage people to get empowered and then tell them to “bow down” to her?),
dares to examine issues like class and discrimination against the rural, and
lays down a mean beat to boot.

Valerie June-Pushin’ Against a Stone.This Memphis-based musician calls her
sound “organic moonshine roots music”.I can attest to that, but I’d also add that these songs are full of
grit, longing, and everything in between.A sort of Appalachian soul album, this record was big in Europe but
hasn’t managed to catch on in America.That’s a shame.

Kings of Leon-Mechanical Bull.No, it doesn’t rock out like its predecessors, but it still
rocks out.And I think Caleb
Followill has one of the all-time best rock voices.It’s in fine form here.

Jim James-Regions of Light and Sound of God.I’ve toured some with Jim and he is one
of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet.Full disclosure over.And
my personal feelings about him have nothing to do with this being one of the
best albums of the year.It’s like
an hour-long meditation with genius orchestration.It is so, so fine.

Jason Isbell-Southeastern.I’ll say it:if
I was forced to pick an album of the year, this would most likely be it.A masterpiece.The songwriting is superb and the songs
“Cover Me Up” and “Elephant” might need to duke it out for the song of the year
award.The fact is that every song
on this album is tight, complex, emotional, full of vivid imagery and
characterization.This is a
recording of a master songwriter at his best.

Patty Griffin-American Kid.Even though this is an album-long tribute to her late
father, the record transcends that into being the story of anyone who listens
to it.That’s one of the magical
powers Griffin has here, and this album gives us some of her best work
including “Wild Old Dog,” “Ohio,” and “I Am Not a Bad Man”.She has done no wrong in her whole
career and continues that streak here.

Daft Punk-Random Access Memories.You can’t not dance while listening to it.You can’t not sing along.“Get Lucky” was my song of the summer.

Basia Bulat-Tall Tall Shadow.I’m hoping more people will come to know Bulat, who already
has a small but devoted following.That voice.These
songs.That occasional visit from
the autoharp.I love everything on
it.

Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers-Self-titled.Another criminally underrated album
from one of the best singers working today.Funky, soulful, bluesy.A great, great album that deserves to be heard by more
folks.And if you ever get a
chance to catch them live, that’s even better.Highly recommended.

The Avett Brothers-Magpie and the Dandelion.I was prepared for this album to be a
let-down after the one-two punch ofI and Love and You (2009) and The Carpenter (2012) but they managed to
pull it off again, crafting a very fine album that perfectly blends elements of
folk, rock, bluegrass, and country.Best songs:“Morning Song”
(they bring in their whole family for the chorus, a tribute to their late aunt)
and “Bring Your Love to Me” (opening lyrics:“Bring your love to me/I will hold it like a newborn child”).

Arcade Fire-Reflektor.The title-track is irresistible but I was surprised to find that just
about everything on this double-disk concept album is.My favorite, “Normal Person,” shows
that Arcade Fire can not only do great disco-influenced work like “Reflektor”
but can also rock out.

3 comments:

Being a Kentuckian, I have always been a My Morning Jacket fan. I was a little worried about Jim James doing the solo thing. However, after catching the Austin City Limits show I was amazed. It is pure genius.

Heard you on Bob Edwards yesterday, 12/6/13, and intrigued by your words. Looking so forward to reading your books. As a quilter, my first choice will be "Clay's Quilt." I am always on the lookout for prompts, creative words or phrases to spark my quilt designing. Thanks for your prompts.

About Me

Silas House's writing is known for his lyrical prose and his attention to nature, spirituality, the operations of families, and the idea of created families. His work has been a two time finalist for the Southern Book Critics Circle Prize and has won the Fiction Prize from the National Society of Arts and Letters, the Award of Special Achivement from the Fellowship of Southern Writers, the Chaffin Award for Literature, the Appalachian Book of the Year, and two Kentucky Literary Awards for Novel of the Year, among other honors. His books CLAY'S QUILT and A PARCHMENT OF LEAVES were national bestsellers. He is a contributing editor for NO DEPRESSION magazine and is one of Nashville's most in-demand press kit writers, having penned the bios of Kris Kristofferson, Lucinda Williams, Tim O'Brien, LeAnn Womack, Marshall Chapman, and many others. House is also a popular columnist and commentator who has appeared several times on NPR's "All Things Considered. He lives in Eastern Kentucky.
Photo by Curt Richter